Cucumbers are in season. We have recipes
What’s in season: Cucumbers, which are a member of the gourd family, come in a number of varieties far beyond the dark, thick-skinned ones you typically find at supermarkets. Local cucumbers begin showing up in the markets around late spring, with a season that runs through the summer months. Varieties range from textured pickling cucumbers to smooth Persian cucumbers, which look like small, compact versions of the almost seedless English cucumber. Armenian cucumbers, which look and taste like oversized curvy cucumbers, are actually a part of the melon family.
Crisp and refreshing: 12 recipes for cucumbers >>
What to cook: Cucumbers are a classic summer staple, chopped raw and added to salads or cold bowls of gazpacho — or, of course, made into pickles. But the fruit can also be cooked in a variety of ways. Dredge cucumber slices and deep-fry them into “chips” with a dipping sauce. You can also purée cucumbers add them to cocktails, popsicles or paletas. If your cucumbers have a bitter edge, be sure to seed them and remove the peel before using.
What’s on the horizon: Bell peppers, normally in season during the late summer months, are showing up. And look forward to a lot more stone fruit as the weather heats up.
Twitter: @noellecarter
ALSO
Recipes ready in 30 minutes or less
Fried chicken: Nine great recipes for crunchy goodness
Browse our Recipe Database for thousands of our best recipes
Eat your way across L.A.
Get our weekly Tasting Notes newsletter for reviews, news and more.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
